"It is important to focus on defense." Zelenskyy said the coming weeks will be active for Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced "active weeks in foreign policy" for Ukraine. According to him, representatives of our country are currently cooperating with Western partners to maintain unity in the defense of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said this in his evening address to Ukrainians. The Head of State emphasized that politicians and diplomats are doing everything possible to ensure that Ukraine can be confident that defense, macro-financial, and political support for our country will not come to naught in 2024.

Speaking about Ukraine's foreign policy efforts, the President announced "active weeks" ahead.

"We continue to work with our partners to ensure that the unity in the defense of Ukraine is preserved. In Europe, with America, and with everyone else in the world who supports us, supports the state and international law. The coming weeks will also be active in our foreign policy, and we have already begun to plan activities for January. We will do our best to make sure that Ukraine is strong and that next year we can all be confident – confident in defense support, macrofinance, and political support. Thank you to everyone who helps! Please take care of people. Take care of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

In his address, the President also reminded that he would be on a working visit to Lviv on December 15. Zelenskyy began his visit to the Lion City with the Field of Mars at Lychakiv Cemetery. There, the President bowed to the graves of the Heroes who gave their lives defending Ukraine.

Zelenskyy expressed confidence that the memory of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the future of our country would be preserved by all future generations living in a free Ukraine.

The President recorded his address at Lviv Polytechnic, where an important event is taking place today.

"I held a congress, a meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. Along with government officials, there were the Prime Minister and ministers. The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. The head of the Office. We discussed many issues – various aspects of the interaction between the central government and communities. It is very important for the government to be in constant communication with local self-government and for community leaders to understand the current situation, how our whole country is living, how important it is to be fully focused on defense and helping people," Zelenskyy emphasized.

He added that representatives of all levels of government, including local authorities, should prioritize the care of Ukrainian soldiers and Ukrainian citizens in general. This, Zelenskyy emphasized, is their duty.

During the congress, the head of state heard a report from the head of the Security Service of Ukraine: Vasyl Malyuk informed Zelenskyy about the latest detentions of collaborators in Odesa, Dnipro, and Kherson region. The Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko briefed the president on the incident in Zakarpattia, where a deputy of one of the village councils detonated three grenades right in the building during the session.

In his address, the President also mentioned the courage and heroism of Ukrainian rescuers who do everything they can to help and save their compatriots, who are being attacked by Russia every day.

"Today I want to thank all the employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine who have been helping to save lives and help people after Russian shelling every day during this week, just like during all the weeks of the war. Odesa... Sergeant Artem Keiga, Sergeant Ruslan Kuruch, Captain Orest Pavlovsky. Kherson region... Sergeant Anatoliy Skotenyants, Sergeant Volodymyr Kushniruk, Captain Vladyslav Pylypenko. Kyiv... Work in places where rocket fragments fell. Chief Master Sergeant Serhii Savenko, Captain Dmytro Halytskyi, Major Liubov Kirnos. I thank you and all your colleagues!" Zelenskyy said.

On December 15, it became known that one of the deputies of the Keretsky village council detonated grenades in the room where the session was taking place. Members of the village council were discussing the budget of the Keretska ATC for the next year when the man threw several grenades on the floor.

The explosion injured 26 people. At least six of them, including the bomber, are in extremely serious condition.

The moment of the explosion was caught on video. Local media reported that the grenades were detonated by Serhiy Batryi, a member of the Servant of the People party. Shortly before the tragedy, he had a quarrel with a colleague over a bonus and bonuses for the head of the village council from the OPFL. When other deputies did not accept his arguments, he left and returned a few minutes later with grenades.

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